Triathlete:
A person who doesn't understand that one sport is hard enough.
Living the life of an Australian U/23 professional Triathlete. Blogging all the Races, training, learning hurdles, travel, fun, Glamour... sweat and tears along the way...Enjoy!

Sunday, 15 February 2015

Kurnell NSW Sprint Series // Race of Dreams 15/2/15

Hello Again,

For those that read my first attempt of a
blog upload last week, thankyou and I hope you enjoyed it! Hopefully ill get
better along the way…. And if not, then don’t tell me haha!

I
had in my head I wouldn’t write another little chapter until next week after
the Devonport Oceania Olympic Distance Elite and U/23 Championships, but after
having an absolute dream race yesterday I’m going to share my cloud 9
experiences from that, because in this sport you got to take those races with 2
hands cause you don’t know when the next one will be!! (Although I’ll add that in
every race there is always a chance to go out with purpose and objectives and
seek positives and things to work on after)

Yesterday was the third race of the
Triathlon NSW Sprint Series in Kurnell, a popular race amongst age groupers,
and yesterday their was even more hype with the brilliant Wollongong Wizards, a
Wollongong based Elite Training Squad made up of WTS Level International
athletes from all over the globe and full of talent, with Current ITU World
Champions, ex World Champions and ITU Grand Final Winners. I was pumped to get
another opportunity to come up against these guys in my own backyard! Another
factor adding to the day’s hype for me was the very special appearance of my
Dad coming to watch me and cheer me on, a rare oppourtunity for him to be able
to be there, so I wanted to make it a good one!! (No offense given to Mum, I
take my hat off to the mother of 4 active kids, a true “Supa” mum & for
many years she travelled all over the place with me as a junior and she’s
definitely my number one supporter)

It was an early start, the weather was tame
and the day was warming up quick! Race site had its usual buzz of nervous
athletes and very long toilet queues! It wasn’t long till us Elites were off to
the beach/Bay for a start. I had a clear race objective in my head and was
racing with a purpose, thanks to the Best coach & good mate Mick, Head
coach with the great Pete Clifford at HPT (High Performance Tri) and I’ve got
to say, not many squads will you see athletes, on their “day off” heading down
before the sun’s even up to come along and watch & support their fellow
athletes. A credit to Mick and Pete with the positive and always encouraging
environment they have set up!!

Starting 1 minute behind the Elite Men
& it was on like Donkey Kong! Off to a clean and quick start which helped
set up the race for me, allowing a gap to emerge between me and current ITU
World Champion, and clear favourite Gwen Jorgensen, who jumped on my feet, and
the other Elite Women chasing. Emerging form the water together the pace was on
to get to the bikes quick and get out there! The bike course starts with a bit
of undulating up’s and downs, along some road in desperate need of resealing,
before turning around at the Botany Bay National Park Whale watch lookout and
heading back past transition, and out onto the flat out and back remainder of
the course. My goal was to not let Gwen get away from me, but as we got into
the cycle leg I was feeling great & strong so I pushed the pace and by the
time we got to the flat remaining ¾ of the course I was in front with a small
gap and put my head down, on the aero bars and pushed hard on my beautiful
Avanti CORSA DR Di2 Racing machine, supplied and kept in the best of knick by
the legends at my local Narrabeen AvantiPlus store.

Playing mental games to pick boys up ahead
to try catch one by one, who were all from the Elite Male wave so I was putting
myself out at a hard effort which I thought if I could continue to do it would
keep me ahead, and that is where I helped to further set up what would be a
race I will remember for years to come! At the turn around I could see the lead
I had established between the other girls and myself and this further boosted
my confidence.

As many will agree I’m sure, there’s just
something about that feeling you get when your in the lead, somehow you just
hurt that touch less and have that added pump of adrenaline spiking you up.

As the race was not draft legal, the
opposite to ITU racing style where we can ride in bike packs and draft off one
another, it meant you had to be conscious of the gap you gave to the next rider
and if passed there are rules surrounding dropping back, and so forth if you
are the passing rider, as there are always officials out on the motorbikes
waiting to give penalties to anyone pushing the limits. I was lucky in that the
group of 6 or so riders I had set my pacing off in a steam train single line
formation were all playing it fair and leaving decent gaps whilst still playing
a classic game of cat and mouse.

Heading into transition, I got called Gwen
(no issues there haha), then the announcer apologized and said that their were
no females yet to come off the bike, before having my identity returned as I
headed off onto the run leg with a solid lead on Gwen and the rest of the world
class Elite Female field following.

Trying not to pinch myself as I was running
, I couldn’t believe where I was sitting, and pre race had not even considered
this to be a situation. Off I set, turned out I had pulled the 5th
fastest overall bike time of the day (watch out boys haha) and put 2 minutes
onto the other girls. In saying that, anyone that has ever watched a bit of top
end ITU World Triathlon Series Racing will know how Gwen stands as an all time
best back-end Runner, and I knew she would be coming for me! Lap one passing
the squad, coach and Dad, I went buy chucking out a little personal joke and in
return got loads of encouragement and a real lift from the guys! Lap 2 I could
see Gwen hadn’t gained much ground to my surprise, although spurring, I was
fading as the legs started to really fatigue!

I must comment on all the amazing support
off everyone on course, Aussies love an underdog, and to be beating the current
World Champ and my idol, along with many other elite female athletes I aspire
to in the sport was surreal!! The encouragement was flowing in thick and fast
but lap 3 I knew she was closing in! You always think post race you could have
ran faster that last km or pushed it more, but post and during are two very
different things! Lap 3 of that run hurt and despite my efforts, the absolute
legend and champ passed me with a mere 200m left to the finish. Exchanging a
few broken words of encouragement to each other as she sailed through, and if someone
was going to beat me, I couldn’t have picked a better athlete!

I
was proud of the effort levels I had to push Gwen too in the battle to claim
the win! For me, I was over the moon with the race, a post race bear hug from
Dad at the finish line, and what I can be proud to say was a level, and
mutually respectful, athlete to athlete post race debrief with Gwen. Topping it
off with some solid PB’s.

Standing on the podium next to Gwen and
Anne Haug 2012 World ITU Grand Final Champion (Where I watched her win the World
Championship race at my very first World A.G. champs as a little 17 year old
just starting out) The day was one to remember.

I was definitely swapping that post race
classic ‘chocolate something’ with a glass of wine to celebrate.

Back to the office this week, recovery
today and a week of tapering before flying out to Devonport, Tassie, this
Friday for the OTU Oceania Elite Olympic Distance Champs on Saturday. Travelling
down with some fellow HPT Junior athletes for a solid hit out. Ready to take on
the cooler ocean temps (hopefully big swells…) 8 tough hill reps up the famous North
St, and 10km run to the finish.

I’ll finish with this all time favourite quote
of mine, “DARE TO DREAM”